SC reserves verdict on PIL against Lalu

The PIL challenges the appointment of a Special judge to try disproportionate assets case against RJD chief.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the PIL challenging the appointment of a Special judge to try disproportionate assets case against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his wife after posing some searching questions to Patna High Court Registrar General.

The Registrar General placed on record the procedure adopted for his appointment, which has come under its severe scrutiny.

Hours after a Bench headed by Justice KG Balakrishnan asked the Registrar General Madhusudan Sharma to file an affidavit on the issue, he complied with it.

The court had directed the Registrar General to apprise it whether the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) of Additional District Judge Muni Lal Paswan was considered or not before his appointment as Special CBI Judge to try disproportionate assets case, an offshoot of fodder scam case, involving Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi.

The Bench, comprising Justice AR Lakshmanan and Justice SH Kapadia, also wanted to know whether in Patna High Court there was the practice of preparing gradation/remarks of judges or not and was it available to the standing committee during the appointment of three judges including Paswan as Special Judges.

Before asking the Registrar General to file the affidavit on the issue, the Bench had showered several questions to him.

When the Bench asked the Registrar General whether the gradation system was followed in Bihar for promotion of judicial officers, he said the practice has been disbanded since 1997-98.